This invention relates to electrical connectors for coupling electrical wires/cables to other electrical wires/cables or other electrical components for purposes of data/signal transmission and communication.
Connectors having the above mentioned functions have been known in the past. These connectors in the prior art ordinarily employ a connector housing comprising a plurality of divisible components fastened or bound together via some type of fastening mechanism. They share in certain common disadvantages associated with such a design. Namely, the electrical contacts within the housing are prone to dislocation upon pressure, generally known as "pushing back of the contacts", and non-contiguous shielding from the cable shield to the connector shell. Furthermore, these connectors may be disembodied or disassembled if their fastening mechanisms can not withstand the stress of physical impact or other kinds of misuse. Other kinds of connectors in the prior art do have an integrally constructed connector housing; however, they include non-plastic or metallic locking posts, clips, or other fastening means such as screws, bolts . . . etc. for latching onto a matching connector. Metallic fasteners as such are not flexibly adaptive and tend to slip and slide on their contacting surfaces. As a result, prior art connectors tended to provide a week coupling to matching connectors. Metallic fasteners oftentimes do not meet a high standard of pulltest requirement measured in pounds of pressure. A common field standard requires 35 pounds of pull-test pressure.
Another deficiency in connectors of the past pertains to their adaptability to be mountable on an equipment panel or bracket. Prior art connectors are not readily adaptable to serve in this capacity; normally, they include mechanical fasteners which require substantial human manipulation in order to attach or detach. A common means is by way of screws and bolts. In this manner, connectors are not quickly mountable onto a bracket or a panel and are similarly plagued in its detachment therefrom. This problem is equally disadvantages when matching connectors are directly coupled via such fastener, means. It is difficult for an operator to work with screws and bolts and it is often the case that special tools as required are not always available when an operator needs them. As a result, prior art connectors are inflexible, less adaptive, and clumsy upon installation and disconnection.
The problems suggested in the preceeding are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many which may tend to reduce the effectiveness and appeal of prior art electrical connectors. Other noteworthy problems may exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate that connectors in the past have not been altogether satisfactory and a new design for electrical connectors is needed, that would represent an improvement over the prior art.